Devil's Little Sister
by GeckoMoriaShadowLord
Summary: Zoro/Robin AU romance. A beautiful, mysterious woman. The notoriety and ruthlessness of the bloodthirsty prize-fighting club known as the Grand Line. It's been a while since he had so much fun.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Devil's Little Sister **

**Pairing: Zoro x Robin, Luffy x Nami, Usopp x Kaya, Kohza x Vivi, etc. **

**Rating: T for f-bombs, sexuality, crude humor**

**Summary: **AU. Life, for Zoro, was just fine. Life would be just same ol' same ol' routine had it not been for the fact that he had some crazy individuals he liked to call his friends and for the fact that he had this nasty little habit of sneaking out during the wee hours of the night in order to fight illegally in a notorious and ruthless fight club known as the Grand Line. If that' not enough to keep him occupied, an intelligent and mysterious black-haired beauty has appeared; the first step in a series of chain events which will change his life irrevocably.

**Note: **I revised the chapters since more people are reading this than I thought. Heh.

_**Prologue**_

Keep holding on when  
My brain's ticking like a bomb  
Guess the black thoughts have  
Come again to get me  
Sweet bitter words  
Unlike nothing I have heard  
Sing along mocking bird  
You don't affect me

"_Coming Undone", Korn _

~0~

The day had the trappings of normality. When he had woken up, his bed was still there, the ceiling was still above him, gravity still held him in his grip, he was still in America, and his hair was still green. When he had eaten breakfast and gone outside, the bright star they called the sun still hung proud and golden in the sky. The day was simply like every single day that had come before it. There was absolutely nothing to warn him of what the day had in store. There was nothing to inform him that this was the day that he met the devil's little sister.

When he met her he was unaware that somewhere, far off, people whom he had never heard of before, called her a variety of colorful and macabre names. Demon's child. Devil's bride. Daughter of Satan, to name just a few.

Later, when things exploded and the shit hit the fan, to be metaphorically vulgar if you will; he would think back to this day and wonder how shit had gone so wrong. The day had been decidedly normal, after all.

~0~

Zoro really didn't know why he went to school. There were quite a few things he could have done instead, namely drinking, sleeping, and training. Walking to the Red Line High School at six in the morning sometimes made him feel like punting little kids across the field. But his zero period weights class waited for no man. And was he going to become a top-notch swordsman if he didn't drag himself up and force himself to benchpress for one steamy, hellish hour? He thought not.

But fuck, they needed to change the school rules so that they could lug a beer cooler into the Weights rooms with no questions asked. I mean, a man couldn't survive in such a hard, cruel world without the comforting pop and fizz of an opened beer can, now could he? What was training hard without the sour, grainy fermentation of Coors hitting the flat of his tongue and rolling deliciously down the back of his throat and hitting the steam of his belly with a satisfying hiss? The school would have been a happier place if it was beer-friendly.

He glanced at his watch, a cheap little digital thing. he should hurry up; he was going to be late. Zoro picked up the pace, his feet hitting the ground in a rapid tattoo. His exhales coming out as a fog in the cold October air.

~0~

"_Wake up man_," a voice hissed in his ear, "something _hot_ just walked in. Wake up and enjoy the view while it lasts."

He groaned, not wanting to wake. Zero period always sucked every single joule of energy from his body it seemed. First period was always the same: walk in with bleary eyes, all but fall into his designated seat next to his best friend Sanji Allblue, close his eyes, sleep, and suffer as Sanji annoyed him in all ways possible.

But Sanji was relentless, "Zoro! I think she's a new student type of person!" His voice all but gloated.

"So?" he muttered back, "This isn't your personal harem cook." Though the way Sanji acted, it sure seemed like it sometimes.

He always called Sanji _cook_. Just like Sanji always called him _mossy_. It was their form of fucked up affection. All rights reserved.

"It should be, I've laid half the girls here," Sanji answered loftily—though Zoro would have been surprised if Sanji had scored with even Kokoro in the corner—and continued to poke him in the ribs, "But this one Zoro, is like nothing I've ever seen before. She would be the queen of my kingdom, _come on_, at least _look_. Humor me bastard, just like I pretended to awe and ooh over your sword collection last Tuesday."

Zoro looked up, glaring, "You were _pretending_? And I trust you?"

"How the hell do you expect me to understand swords when _you_ don't understand why I use fifteen different kinds of spices in one meal?" Sanji snapped back, eyebrow twitching.

"Point taken."

"All right, but at least _look_—"

"All right cook, all right—" Zoro turned his eyes to where a tall girl was talking to the teacher, her back to them. He couldn't see anything except her sweatered back and the fall of medium-length black hair which clung close to her head. There was nothing remarkable from the backside. Except that he could tell that she was rather tall and had a good form underneath her sweater and long, sweeping skirt.

"She's all right I guess. I can't see her face," he made to bury his face in his arms, but Sanji nudged a toe under his ribs.

"No, wait, she's turning—oh _hot baby." _

Zoro looked up again, eyelids all but dropping—oh damn. Oh, _damn. Just…damn. _Gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. Bronzed skin, cornflower blue eyes, silky black hair, a clear-cut nose, full lips, high breasts, high cheekbones. Her lips moved soundlessly as she continued to talk to the teacher, who was nodding and shifting through papers at the desk in front of the room.

An internal scoreboard went up in his head. _Ching! Ten! _

Next to him he could hear Sanji murmuring, "Excuse me miss? Is your name Summer? Because you sure are _hot. _Oh, I'm Sanji, is your name board? Because I want to _nail _you. Are you a light switch? Because you just turned me _on._"

Zoro snorted laughter and dropped his head between his arms again. Immediately Sanji was offended, as if Zoro had just personally slighted him. "Hey! How can you _not_ look at her? She's a babe!"

He refused to acknowledge the shoe nudging him, "Sure she is. I've noticed it, documented it, and stored it for further use. But respect the woman Sanji. One ogle is enough. Poor thing, she's probably terrified transferring into a new school."

The bell rang. Sanji ignored it. "Should I go ask her to sit with us? You know, be nice? Get her some friends?"

"Were you even listening to me idiotcook?"

"Huh? What's you say?" Sanji's eyes were shining as he admired the mystery girl from afar. Zoro swore he could see a trickle of drool just barely escaping from his open mouth.

"Goddamn you. I hope your dick rots from syphilis."

Usopp Sogeking, another good friend, trudged into the room and plopped down next to Sanji in time to catch the last comment, "Hey guys. What up? No love lost between you guys eh?" He tossed his purse-ish thing onto the desk and fixed his bandana.

Sanji glared at him, and then suddenly smiled sweetly, "Oh hey Usopp, we're changing seats today. You don't sit there anymore. Get your ass out of here."

Usopp rolled his eyes, "Uh-huh. Why are you sitting with Zoro then and why is everybody else sitting exactly where they're supposed to be sitting?"

"I hate to break it to you man, but teacher actually told me that since you talk too much he's moving you to the front. I tried to ease you up to it," was the smooth answer from the flirt's chainsmoking mouth.

"Sanji, I have a ninety-eight percent in this class and both 'outstanding' in my work habits and citizenship. Mr. Montblanc loves me. It's you two jokers he hates," Usopp smirked, "Baby, don't bullshit a bullshitter."

"Yeah, fuck you longnose. I'm mighty proud of my eighty two percent," Sanji said, grinning. Zoro backed him up by putting the middle finger up lazily. He had to admit, Sanji and he were pretty bad and Mr. Montblanc really did hate them.

"I think you added twenty percent there Sanji," Zoro put in from where his head was lying sleepily on the desk, "And that reminds me…you're barely passing AP Calculus aren't you?"

"Shut up. That's 'coz all we do in that class is mess around mossy."

"So? I have a B."

Usopp, frowning, interjected, "Sanji, you're pretty damn smart. Why the hell aren't you passing your classes?"

"I am passing them!" Sanji snapped back, outraged.

"Well, why aren't you getting at least B's?" Usopp demanded.

"I know the answer to that," Zoro remarked, "It's 'coz he does more thinking with the thing in his jeans than the thing in his head."

Sanji scoffed, "I just don't turn in my work. I ace the tests though."

Mr. Montblanc clapped his hands enthusiastically as the bell rang for the second time, signaling the commencement of class, "Students! I'm pleased to announce a new student from Argentina, Ms. Robin Nico everyone."

"Robin…" Sanji sighed dreamily. Zoro took a look around; more than a few guys were either salivating with their eyes, or were leaning back in their chairs, trying to look like_ the _shit. He snorted and his head hit the desk again. Idiots.

"Well, hopefully you'll like Grand Line High School as much as your old school. It's different, but I'm sure you'll like it Robin," Mr. Montblanc said warmly, "We give you a warm welcome."

"Thank you," the girl said, and smiled softly, her tone carried well and Zoro was pleased to notice that her voice wasn't like all the other girl's—high, sweet falsetto—but was a true butterscotch alto. Low and vibrant. He could swear Sanji was moaning in the sea beside him.

He grabbed a pencil eraser and threw it playfully at the blond, "Hey, watch it. I don't need you getting happy down there. Two guys in the back, best friends? It wouldn't look right."

Sanji gave him the finger and went back to worshipping Robin Nico.

Mr. Bontblanc pointed to an empty desk in the third row, near the door, "Why don't you take that seat Robin? You can just relax and watch how the class works for today. I'll give you a few days to adapt so then you can start learning about our great country, okay?"

Robin nodded again and moved through the students and desks to her seat. As she was passing by and as the class began to be filled with the noise of students taking out their notebooks and pens, a blonde girl called Kalifa, whom Zoro knew and disliked, said quietly but in a voice which carried nicely along the rows, "Lesson number one: long skirts have been out of fashion since the civil war, darling." The two or three girls with Kalifa giggled.

There was a hush as Robin froze, mere feet from her seat, the bag on her shoulder right about to slip off.

Zoro's mouth turned down at the corner. _Whatta bitch Kalifa is. _

Luckily, Sanji saved the situation. He could be a complete idiot most of the time too horny to think straight; but that there was a true streak of self-sacrificing chivalry, Zoro couldn't deny and would be the first to defend.

The blond perked up, "So? She looks _hot_ in it. It looks good. And by the way, my name's Sanji Allblue, I'm currently single, and my number is—"

The class burst into good-natured laughter and the moment passed. Robin sat down and, turning her head, favored Sanji with one of the slowest, most luxurious smiles that Zoro had ever seen. Sanji's chest puffed out in pride.

He nudged Zoro, "See that bro? I believe I just made a conquest."

Zoro snorted and shaking his head, tried to sleep without the teacher noticing. That was how he met Robin Nico and how, unbeknownst to himself, his destiny had just been irrevocably changed.

~0~

**To be Continued xD You lyke?**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

Oh, no this hurts, it was meant to, it was meant to,

Your secret's out, and the best part is, it isn't even a good one

-_Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying", Fall Out Boy _

~0~

"—the depression affected the world globally, not just America," Mr. Montblanc said, and picking up an eraser board marker, marked on the whiteboard, _International and systemic._

Zoro wrote it down dutifully, _international and systemic. _Though the chances were high that he probably wouldn't remember what the words meant or even what they were talking about a day later. He glanced at Sanji, and was surprised to see the flirt was scribbling like mad in his notebook.

"Hey," he mouthed, "Since when did you take notes?"

"Shut it," Sanji murmured back, and in answer, silently passed him the notebook.

Mr. Montblanc continued in the front, "The Depression resulted from a variety of causes, all of which had been present for decades before the actual crash of the stock market on Black Tuesday. Who can give me some of the causes?"

Zoro didn't hear any of this, he was busy reading whatever Sanji had written, and was rolling his eyes and shaking his head in amusement.

_Dear Robin Nico—_

_I, Sanji Allblue, have fallen in complete and utter love with your beautiful face and generous nature— _

There was more, but Zoro didn't bother reading it and tossed it back on Sanji's desk, "Good luck with that."

"Thank you for the support shithead."

"Anytime. But for the record, you're going to scare her _shitless._"

Meanwhile, beside Sanji, Usopp had raised his hand and was answering the question, "Well, a major cause was the stock market crash itself because of the millions lost in shares."

Mr. Montblanc, a broad-chested man with a strangely rounded nose and a ruddy, amiable complexion nodded and wrote _Stock Market crash_ on the board. "Very good Usopp. As expected of you."

"Smartass," Zoro muttered under his breath as Usopp puffed out his chest and adopted a swaggering attitude as he look around. Sanji was still scribbling, pen gripped in his hand, face pensive with the amorous thoughts that were, no doubt, whirling around his head.

Mr. Montblanc looked around, "Anything else? Who actually did their weekend homework and read Chapter 32? Come on now."

A general shuffling in class as everyone wither refused to make eye contact with the teacher or pretended to look absorbed with whatever they were scratching on their paper. Zoro didn't even bother to do any of the above. Mr. Montblanc would sooner ask the pet rock on his desk then ask him, even if he _did _happen to know the answer to whatever was being asked.

He put his arms behind his head and smirked at the class in general, confident in his superiority.

"Anyone?" Mr. Montblanc repeated, voice tinged with reproach and sternness.

That's when Robin Nico put up her hand. Zoro glanced at her, surprised.

"Yes? Robin? Did you study this back home?"

Robin shook her head, "No. We do not learn about the history of the United States; we learn about our own country's history Professor Montblanc. I just happen to study world history independently." Her voice was beautiful, the English immaculate, but foreign nonetheless because of the iced formality in which it was spoken. The complete lack of vernacular, of everyday slang, struck Zoro pleasantly, his ear so used to the expletives and vulgarities that everyone around him used.

Mr. Montblanc chuckled, "No need to call me _Professor._ Mr. Montblanc will suffice, please."

Robin nodded, "Well, Mr. Montblanc, America's Great Depression was systemic as you very well said and thus the cause of many factors. The overexpansion of credit, the overproduction of industry and agriculture, the drought and the dust bowl, the mechanization of farm and field, bank failures, easy extension of credit, and America's policies with Europe were all major facets which led to the Depression itself. "

Short, thunderstruck silence in which even the crickets were silent.

Zoro's eyebrows were raised in disbelief, as was everyone's in the class and the general line of his thoughts went something like, _what-the-fuuuuuuck-_

Mr. Montblanc was the first to recover, "Well, _that _was simply _impressive_ Robin. And you haven't taken U.S History before?"

"I'm sure I haven't," Robin smiled. Zoro could see the curve of her cheek from where he sat and could hear the smile in the words.

"_Well,_ I'm glad to see that you're very well informed. This class is going to be very easy for you Ms. Nico." And smiling in that nice way of his, the teacher turned ad began printing up what Robin had just said onto the whiteboard, "You have just put my class to shame. I commend you."

There was a stir of laughter and in the distraction Sanji caught Zoro's attention again, eyes shining. "Intelligent as well as beautiful Zoro. It's a dream come true."

"Yeah, whatever," Zoro muttered back and catching Usopp's attention, smirked, "Looks like you're not going to be top dog in this class anymore Usopp. New girl has a bigger history dick than even you."

Usopp frowned and snapped back, "Zoro, _Justin Bieber_ has a bigger dick than you, so shut it."

Sanji winced, momentarily snapped out of his love-love daze. "_Ow._ Harsh, Usopp, harsh. Yet, _true._"

"Fuck you all," Zoro snorted and leaned back trying not to show the unwilling smile that was creeping onto his face. Usopp had the best insults, the best comebacks, the best _everything_ when it came to spraying some venom around. It would have been unbearable had not it been obviously apparent that Usopp had absolutely no means to back the bullshit which he was so fond of and so talented at creating.

The guy would have gotten the shit beating out of him often if it hadn't been for the fact that Usopp was well-liked, pretty hilarious, hung out with the guys who were either gangsters or the sort of people that could rip your ballsack off without so much as bothering to put down their cigarettes; _and_ was _only_ dating an obscenely rich, pretty millionaire's only heiress.

Lucky bitch, Usopp. But hey, the guy was pretty funky in Zoro's opinion, and that made him all right with him. Plus, they went way back. All three of them. And Usopp, Sanji, and a couple others he knew well were probably the only human beings on Earth who could have gotten away saying whatever to him. Anybody else…and well, let's just say that the authorities would have to identify them by their dental records.

Meanwhile, Usopp was jabbering on loftily, "Well, this Robin Nico _might_ think she knows it all, and perhaps she has a little knowledge of history, I admit that much—but let me tell you two, that the _great me_ knows _significantly much more. _I mean I was there when the Romans built their aqueducts; I was there when King Tutankhamen laid down his golden scepter—"

"Okay, class—" Mr. Montblanc began, cutting Usopp in mid-tirade. "Moving on—"

And U.S History continued on and passed by uneventfully.

~0~

The bell rang; the students got up and walked out, chattering. And before Zoro could so much have said '_desperate idiot'_, Sanji was cooing his throat out with Nico Robin, hand negligently on his hip, gesturing in the air with the other. Robin Nico was smiling, head slightly tilted as she listened to whatever Sanji was saying with what seemed to be an infinite amount of amusement.

"You think he's going to tap that?" Zoro grunted to Usopp, gesturing with his eyes where Sanji was trying to court Robin Nico in his own strange way.

"No of course not," Usopp answered, slugging his purse slash bag thing over the shoulder of his overalls, "I on the other hand, being the man who's laid over a million women and propagated my kind all over the world—"

"Better not let Kaya hear you," Zoro smirked back, "She'd be heartbroken at your promiscuity."

"She knows that her heart will always come first," Usopp said, wiping a tear away from the corner of his eye as they headed out the door.

"Oi cook! You coming!" Zoro called out, head craning back as his hand gripped the doorjamb and looked questioningly to where Sanji was barely walking down the aisle with Robin Nico.

"Nah! Go ahead without me!" Sanji answered and waved a distracted hand at him, before turning back to Robin, a smile already curling the contours of his lips. "See ya next period!"

Zoro shrugged and glanced for a second at Robin again and was surprised to see her eyes on his, their irises clear blue even from four feet away, beautiful. They would have been like any other eyes, despite their beauty, because_ her_ eyes were beautiful, true, but more remarkable ones he'd seen. But there was something in the features of her face, something in the lines and impish light of her blue eyes. A calm mystery radiated from her very being, intermixed with her obvious intelligence.

And the sensuousness was a tangible entity, it enveloped her and shone through in the strangest places. In the curve of her lip which was not quite virginal, in the direct thrust of her midnight hair. Sanji often called him stoic and disinterested, but he was not, and he felt that dark sexuality quite potently.

This did not run in one coherent train of thought through his head in that one split second in which their eyes met and slid away again; he was not so poetic and sensitive to think in such complicated and superfluous metaphors, but the emotions filtered through and were acknowledged. And the impression he received was of something malevolent, brooding. Impure and occulted.

He frowned, and turning to Usopp once they were walking off to their Chemistry class, "Sanji better watch his ballsac. Something's wrong with that chick. "

Usopp nodded seriously, finger thumbing his rather longish nose, "I know what it is."

Zoro glanced at him, surprised, "Really?"

"She's too hot. It's unnatural. I think she's a gypsy child."

"Oh, shut up," Zoro muttered, punching him a none-too-kindly on the shoulder, "Forget I said anything."

"No, no, no," Usopp said, rubbing his shoulder, "Tell me more of this for the great _me_ wants to know why your Zoro-radar is up."

"_Zoro! Usopp! _Wait up!" Sanji jogged up to them, rubbing his ear.

Usopp raised a wiry eyebrow, "Done so soon? I wasn't expecting you until halfway through class."

"How _long _do you think it takes to escort a lady to class?" Sanji laughed, throwing his hands up in the air in amusement.

The afro-head adopted a sagacious and omniscient expression, "Well, you'd take twenty minutes sweet-talking her and trying to get her number and her bra cup size and her relationship status—then you'd take twenty minutes in the restroom—"

"Usopp, you sick fuck," Sanji snorted, "Where the hell do you get this shit?"

"What's with your ear?" Zoro interrupted, noting that, when Sanji removed his hand, his ear was bright red. Immediately, images of Robin Nico, smiling in that mysterious way of hers that he already was coming to specifically attribute to her, reaching out and trying her very best to rip his friend's ear off his head. He knew it was stupid, but he couldn't help thinking it.

Sanji grunted, and then gave a rueful laugh, "I was talking to _Robin_ (Zoro noted that he said _Robin _like they were not only best friends, but the best fuck buddies to ever grace Planet Earth) about wanting to come hang out with us at break and lunch because she's new and all—"

"Yeah."

"—and Nami came up behind me and dragged me away, saying that she had already met Robin before school and that Robin was going to hang out with them and not with us fucknuts who, and I quote, can't find our own asses with both hands, a map, and a GPS navigational system. I'm pretty sure that the last comment was reserved for you Zoro," Sanji finished, grinning, clearly remembering his horrible sense of direction.

"Heh. Whatever," Zoro said, not really caring. Nami was one of those girls whom he allowed to walk all over him with minimum resistance on his own part. He _had _resisted _once_, and that had cured him forever of trying to fuck with Nami Pinwheel. The girl was dating _Luffy_ for Jesus's sweet sake; of course she would be able to rip him a new one.

Moving on.

"Hey Sanji, don't you think the new girl is kinda…off?" he asked instead. He was hesitant to call her Robin or even Nico Robin out loud. It just seemed a little weird.

"No, why? Sanji glanced at him, "Unless her freaking _sexyness_ is considered _off_ in the Zoro world in which you make your mossy home."

They filed into their Chemistry class, already raucous and loud. Which was a given, considering it was the class they shared with the bundle of energy, vitality, and appetite which called itself Luffy D. Monkey.

Meanwhile Zoro had a vein throbbing in his forehead annoyingly, "Shit, first I have a Zoro-radar, and then I live in a Zoro-world—stop adding my name to inanimate objects will you guys?"

Usopp chuckled, "Is your Zoro-ego hurt?" He grabbed a neglected pair of goggles from off one of the back chemistry tables and strapped them on, grinning all the while.

"I got a place where you can put your goggles Usopp, and the sun _never_ shines—"

"Sanji! Zoro! Ussooooop!" They all instinctively braced as their names were yelled out cheerfully and something hurled towards them. It was Luffy's form of salutation. A hearty chest thump slash playful shove slash bro-hug all mixed into something which Luffy daily tortured them all with.

The black haired guy slammed playfully into them all, causing a mini-melee as Sanji tried to strangle him and Usopp pretended to slump over and die on a nearby chair and he himself was trying to shake Luffy until his neck snapped and snarling what he always snarled when Luffy decided to smash him into the nearest wall, not out any form of malice, but in the happy-go-lucky attitude with which Luffy rode life with.

"_Freaking idiot!_ Watch it! You nearly smashed my_ face_ into the fucking wall!" Sanji was spitting out something similar and Usopp was in his death throes.

"Hahahahahhahahaha!" Luffy laughed, "That was great! You guys should've seen your faces! You guys were terrified!" He burst out into another volley of laughter.

"Hey! Back there! Calm down! Luffy, come over here!" Mr. Vegapunk yelled from the front, "You're going to smash some things if you're not careful and let me tell you, those are _expensive." _

"Why the hell do we have to go through the same ritual every _day_?" Zoro groaned, half to himself, half to Usopp and Sanji as Luffy, still laughing, slinked back to the front where his desk had been specially placed a foot away from the teachers.

"Who knows what goes on in that idiot's empty head?" Sanji mused, straitening his dress shirt, and without turning, "Usopp, put those beakers back."

Usopp jumped guiltily, "What? What beakers? I don't—"

"Bullshit. You know _Nami _gets blamed for stealing stuff in here when in reality, the real thief has an afro and a long nose and dresses like a Rasta and who has a kink for making weird chemistry experiments with Tabasco sauce—"

"Well, Nami shouldn't have been caught stealing the money in Vegapunk's robot-piggy bank," Usopp muttered, sliding the beakers back out of his bag and placing them carefully back on the materials table.

"Nami didn't get _caught—" _

"Kalifa reported her, whatever. I can't believe you still think her shoplifting is adorable—"

"She has obvious _talent—"_

They started bickering and Zoro yawned and made his way to his seat where he sat next to Kohza's girlfriend, a rather pretty girl named Vivi and who was so sweet his teeth ached. But he didn't hold it against her; she had a good heart and a rather unbreakable spirit. She just didn't show it and was content to be soft-spoken and mild. Nice, but not his type. But maybe she would have something intelligent to say about Robin Nico, unlike those idiots back there.

"Hey Vivi," he said, plopping down, "Did you see the new girl?"

"Hello Zoro," Vivi smiled and took out her binder out of her Chanel purse, "Yes I did actually. She's very nice and has the most _interesting _things to say."

"You don't think there's something off about her? Weird, maybe?" he asked again, starting to feel a bit like an undercover agent trying to get to the base of a matter. Just call him Zoro Bauer. He could even hear the beeping of the _24_ clock somewhere. Maybe he should just forget about the whole thing with Robin Nico. There was obviously nothing _off _or suspicious about her. Maybe it was his lack of sleep which was making him see things.

Vivi shrugged, and her high tied ponytail bobbed, "_Off? _Hmmm…I didn't _think_ so, but she's a little…how would I put this…_different_?"

"Ah, just forget it," he said, "I don't even know what I'm saying. I just thought she was weird." He shrugged and slid back in his seat, putting up his feet on a bucket he had secretly placed there for that express reason. "How's you and Kohza?"

She brightened, "Oh, we're great! We went out yesterday to the movies and Carl Jr.s afterwards. It was fun. You know, for our hundredth."

"Hundredth?" Zoro repeated, not really paying attention. It wasn't like he didn't care about Vivi's date but—he just didn't care. He yawned again.

"Hundred days together," Vivi clarified happily.

"Nice. Congrats," he said, trying to look like he understood why the hell they even celebrated such wierdass days as 'hundred days together' and 'three months' and 'ten months'. Was there 'first Tuesday' and 'first shit taken while I was dating you day'?

Vivi, no idiot herself, must have seemed to hear something in his voice, for she politely stopped and instead switched to him, warmly, "And you Zoro? Anyone?"

"Yes, so glad you asked Vivi. Her name is Ms. Weiser. Ms Bud Weiser," he snorted, "Though she got pissed I cheated on her with her sister, Ms. Bud Light."

Vivi burst into laughter, "No, really?"

He shrugged, "Sanji's the love-love tornado around here. I never really felt like doing anything after I dumped whats-her-face."

Vivi snorted, "She's still hopelessly in love with you, you know. Maybe you two could work it out?"

"The day I beg Tashigi to take me back is the day I quit swordfighting," he said shortly. Almost tersely. Hearing that name had pushed Robin Nico and her blue eyes and quixotic nature to the back of his head. Freaking Tashigi. She really had no right to be in love with him, not after the shit she had said to him.

Vivi stirred slightly beside him, "Oh…I'm sorry I brought it up." Her pretty face was woebegone.

He shook his head, "Nah, it's cool." Zoro leaned back and yawned again, "Tell me if I miss anything will you? I'm still sleepy. Shitcook kept on bothering me last period."

She giggled and nodded, "Sure."

Zoro leaned back in his chair again, crossed his arms across his chest, let his chin hit his chest and let his eyes slip shut. He dreamt. Of strange blue eyes which never closed.

~0~

_**The continuation shall follow. xD You lyke?**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter Three**_

It's kind of sad how you lost what you had and never going to have it again

And so I said, "Hey, Sergio! You got to get us out of here!"

"Hey Sergio! It's getting kind of hot in here."

_-"Dear Sergio", Streetlight Manifesto _

~0~

He dreamt.

_I can't believe you lied to me._

_I didn't lie to you, what the hell are you talking about?_

"You lied to me! You said you didn't do that! You said you didn't go here!" The shocked, angry, and reproachful voice of his soon to be ex-girlfriend. Her black eyes glared behind her dorky glasses which he had tried times and times again for her to switch for a pair of modern eye contacts. Not because she would have looked better—though she would undeniably _would _have—but because they cut into her peripheral vision; a crucial viewpoint in a swordsman's life.

They were standing in the falling rain of some now-forgotten night of some deserted alleyway. There he was, and there beyond her was the unobtrusive door which he would have entered if she had not been standing there, blocking his way.

Zoro knew it had been over the second he got out of the car, said a 'see you later' to the driver, rolled out the three bundled sheathes, walked the short distance down the alleyway and seen her there with her own weapon.

Fuck.

"I didn't lie to you Tashigi! Stop putting words in my mouth," he snapped back, "I just didn't tell you that I went here when you brought the Grand Line up. That's all."

"Refraining from telling me is the same as lying to me!" Tashigi cried back, "You knew how I felt about it! When I heard from my father that there was a three-sword-style swordsman drawing blood every time he fought—do you know how the hell I felt? How many else practice sanntorryu?"

Fuck.

Tashigi's father—a tough, grey-haired veteran who always seemed to be chainsmoking Cuban cigars—stood in a position to be well-informed about what he and Sanji and Luffy and countless others of his friends participated in when the night fell. And his own unique, never before seen fighting style was sure to be mentioned again. It was a wonder that Tashigi hadn't found out before.

"Do you know how I felt Zoro? _Betrayed_. I couldn't believe it! But I knew Dad wouldn't lie to me so I opened his file cabinets to find the address for this place and I came here the next day. And I find you here _you bastard_!"

Her voice had been rising in volume and pitch through her entire tirade and by the end she was screaming. However, there was more anger and control in her voice than emotion or sorrow. It was one of the characteristics Zoro had liked and admired about her when they first met. But right now, it was as annoying as hell.

The rain was soaking them, he could it feel it insidiously drenching through the black hoodie and the black sweatpants tucked into pitch-dark combat boots with steel toes. At least the dark green bandana wrapped around his head shaded his eyes from the pelting raindrops. Tashigi was just wearing a flimsy jacket and her straight, dark hair was blacker than the night.

"So what Tashigi?" he retorted, fuming, "It's none of your business what I do. It's not bothering you. You have your principles, I have mine. Deal with it." A hand went to his waist where his three katana were clipped in a holder Usopp had made for them.

The movement caused Tashigi to glance down at his hip, and the whole thing escalated.

"No, I cannot _deal _with this if plan on competing with Wado Ichimonji!" She yelled, and her own hand went to join the other hand at her side, the hand holding Autumn Rain.

Policeman's daughter. Swordswoman. Clumsy and at times annoying as hell, but pretty all the same. With a face that reminded him of a friend he thought he had lost forever. She had been a dream come true.

But now Zoro could feel the irritation turning into something resembling anger, he tried to keep his voice tight and controlled, "Tashigi. For the _last fucking time. _You have your own morals and codes and I have mine. I never tried to get you to join Grand Line, so don't pretend to stop me now. Do what the hell you want with Autumn Rain; the moment you even _try_ to take Wado—" He didn't finish, but the threat was apparent.

They had met in the _dojo_ of course. He had been drawn to the introverted¸ at times shy, girl who kicked all the guy's asses in swordsmanship but couldn't walk three feet without tripping and slamming into something hard. She was perhaps the only woman he had met that shared his passion for the sword fight.

There was a feverish light in her eyes that he could see even from feet away, and her lower lip trembled minutely before she said in a harsh, quivering voice, "Zoro Roronoa. You're abusing that sword—

And now he was no longer her boyfriend or her lover or even her friend. He was a fucking criminal.

_Lying on his bed, face happy and contented, snuggling into his chest, and pausing to look up at him, "I would never subject my own katana to the prize-fights. That's a dirty business. I can't think—_

"—Wado Ichimonji—one of the twenty-one named swords that exist today—an abusive coward like you carrying that sword to kill innocent people—"

-_of how many swords are being subjected to such an offense right now. The katana are weeping," Tashigi looked up at him, "I'm glad you keep Wado nicely." He laughed and smoothed her hair affectionately._

"—_it shall be confiscated!" _The authority of her annoyingly persistent father shone in her voice and in her eyes. He could see Smoker's steel grey eyes in her own black ones. And Zoro knew that he was not going to be able to get away from this without drawing steel.

They met in the middle, slamming hard, the ring of steel screeching harshly as their eyes locked. Zoro had withdrawn one of his swords as soon as Tashigi had dipped and slid out her own sword and lunged at him.

He let out a small grunt as he kept Tashigi's thrust in check. They had sparred for practice before and Tashigi must have been aware of the fact that she was physically weaker than him and less skilled. He had always dueled her, pulling his thrusts back and never using his full strength and he did so know. Annoying or not, he wasn't going to kill her or even nick her if he could. All Zoro wanted to do was disarm her and enter the door at her back before anybody called the police at the ferocious sounds of the blades biting each other in the enclosed alley space.

It was hard at first; Tashigi's assault was fast and fierce, her advantage lying in her flexibility and speed, her harsh panting sounded out, exuding with every breath the effort she was undergoing in her attempt to gut him. And trying to gut him, Tashigi was. Unlike him, she apparently had no qualms with seeing the color of his intestines.

But this was getting old fast. He was soaked to the skin, pissed and bitter that Tashigi, a girl he had thought was going to be maybe the girl he fell in love with, was trying to disembowel him and steal the most treasured possession in his life, _and _he was late to his competition. He was probably missing Luffy's fight.

The second blade drawn slammed hard on Tashigi's. A few more well placed thrusts with the both swords finally pulled the trick Zoro had been angling for since the duel had started.

And at the same moment, the door in the alleyway opened and Zoro caught a glimpse of Luffy's suspicious face before he was staring back into Tashigi's wide eyes. His sword impaling the plaster wall only a few inches away.

Autumn Rain hit the pavement somewhere behind them and rolled a little with a clatter.

"What the hell are you doing Zoro!" Luffy yelled, "Fights inside _only_. You want the cops to show up or what?"

"Shitty idiot, you're _attacking a woman?" _Sanji's horrified, pissed off voice somewhere.

He ignored them. Tashigi hadn't moved an inch, she sagged against the wall unconsciously, her eyes wide and mouth slightly opened and drawing in ragged breaths. He looked at her, trying not to remember that once they had been man and woman, "No one, Tashigi, _no one_ is going to take Wado from me. Not you, not Cabaji in there, not Brahm last week, not Ryumma next week, and not Mihawk someday. And _definitely_ not _you._ I have a goal and you're not going to get in the way of it."

He stepped back, and with a grunt pulled the interred _katana _out. Tashigi hadn't said anything but he could see the shiny, unspilled tears.

"I got shit to do," he said, not looking at her, "See you—"

"Why the hell don't you _ever_ fight seriously with me!" she cried out and straightened her back as she glared at him.

"Hey idiot swordsman—" Sanji began, but Luffy shushed the cook.

Tashigi continued, not even glancing at the two, "Why do you hold back? How come you don't fight me like a man! If I was man you would have cut me! Is it because I'm a woman that you don't fight me seriously!"

"Hey, listen you—" And the very faint sound of a car door thumping shut on the street outside caused him to break off. Zoro glanced at the street, and then suddenly realizing, "_Hey Luffy, Sanji!"_

The pair had already thrown open the door and were gesturing frantically. Zoro threw one last look at Tashigi and said, "Your Dad's here. And before you even think about it, both him and you know that the cops can't do anything to the Grand Line. And he was off, following Luffy and Sanji into the darkness of the Grand Line.

As soon as they were in, they snapped the bolts and the door keeper nodded amiably to them as they headed off down the corridor.

"Jeez. Satori is the _worst _bouncer ever," Sanji muttered. And Luffy laughed.

"Wasn't that your girlfriend Zoro?" Luffy asked, eyes twinkling in amusement. "Did she want to come in?"

"Hah. Yeah fucking right. She thinks this place is a shit-hole," Zoro muttered, "I'm pretty sure our relationship just ended."

Sanji snorted, "Hmph. Maybe. But if you're lucky, she'll think that shoving that sword into the wall next to her ear was a romantic gesture. What the hell were you two up to? You know club rules say _no skirmishing outside whatsoever._"

Zoro shrugged morosely, "It's like any police force can fuck with the D's." and paused while Luffy cheered and fistpumped, "She followed me here to see what I was up to!"

Sanji adopted a horrified expression, "She doesn't want you to fight illegally in an underground organization in which the possibilities that you might be killed are 10 to 5? What an _insensitive bitch!"_

"Shut it cook," Zoro snapped, "This is for my dream, and _no one_ fucks with my dream."

Sanji looked at him and said softly, "Wake up."

"What?" and to Zoro's surprise, Sanji had suddenly grown long hair and was holding a Chanel purse.

"Wake up Zoro," Vivi shook him lightly, "Class is going to end in a couple minutes."

"Hmmph."

Vivi shook him harder

"Ny'up, Ny'up," he yawned and stretched out his legs, "Whoa. _That_ was a good nap." He had gotten used to dreaming now and then about the night in which Tashigi had followed him and discovered his secret. Usopp said it was how his mind coped with the loss, so Zoro wasn't too worried.

Vivi smiled, "Mr. Vegapunk marked you down."

"Vegapunk can mark me down all he wants if that makes him feel more loved," Zoro said, snorting.

He made his way over to where Luffy, Sanji, Usopp, and another kid called Gin where huddled in the corner, conversing. As soon as he approached, Luffy drew him in, happily. "Hey, Zoro. Big night tonight. You in?"

He shrugged lazily, "Sure. I need a stress reliever."

Luffy chuckled happily, "Ace loves you; your fights bring in good money for a C-competitor. He thinks you'll have a good future if you keep at it."

Zoro hissed between his teeth, "I've been there for eight months already and haven't lost _once_. When the hell do I upgrade to a B?"

Luffy shrugged, "I don't know. It's hard to be a B."

"Idiot-cook's a B," Zoro complained.

"Hey, watch it fucknut."

The strawhat just chuckled, "That's because they're not enough _Savate_ fighters in the Grand Line so his value goes up regardless if he's any good—which he _is." _Luffy added, catching the smirk on Zoro's face. "But there are at least fifty swordsmen, so you have to gain some cred before you actually rise in the ranks."

"See that swordsman? You're one in many," Sanji jibed.

Gin shrugged, "I don't really care if I rise. I'm making enough money as is—how much do you guys clear up in a week? Two-three hundred?"

Zoro nodded, "Around three-four hundred, but _only_ if I go every fucking weekday, which I can't or my parents will get suspicious. Usually it's two-fifty."

"Five hundred, easy," Sanji put in. "But the fights are _intense_. I broke the last guy's arm on accident—"

'Nah, he's okay," Luffy said, "Kurobi's cool like that."And hopefully you guys can stick around long enough to bring in some _real _cash. You guys are barely making anything now." He reached up and slid the strawhat off his hair and let it fall on his back.

Sanji looked at him curiously, "How much _do_ you make Luffy? You never told us ."

Luffy shrugged, "Aw, I never pay attention to that kind of stuff."

"Aw, just fucking tell us Luff, we'll only be pissed and jealous for the first few minutes," Gin laughed.

"Ehhh…" Luffy screwed up his mouth and narrowed his eyes in concentration, "Let's see…I'm an A level, so…um, five-six thousand?"

"_Holy_ _shit_—in a week?" Sanji breathed.

"A day."

"_Holy _fucking _shit."_

Usopp rolled his eyes, he had been silent through the whole discourse so far, "You guys are going to get your asses _fried_ one day and all that cash is going to pay for your hospital bills ya know."

"Hey, not everyone is dating a millionaire's daughter longnose," Gin said, "We poor folk got to make a living somehow."

"It's called normal work Gin," Usopp shot back.

"Yeah, how am I supposed to raise fifty thousand bucks to get my ass to college Usopp?" Zoro asked, rolling his eyes, "You think they pay that kind of dirt in Wal-mart?"

"It's called a _scholarship_ Zoro. Which you _could _get if you weren't sneaking out at midnight every day to fight in some seedy strip club slash fight club and so falling asleep every day during class, thus barely passing classes."

Zoro didn't know how to answer that.

"Whatever," he said, "At least I'm doing something I enjoy."

They headed out, still chatting about the Grand Line, but now in undertones as they brushed shoulders with other students. Because it was best to tread softly around the subject of the Grand Line. It was best not to speak openly about the murderous joint where morality was drawn to the limits and safety was vouchsafed to none. Grand Line; where the weak perish early and the blood stains the floor crimson.

The Grand Line, that underground, completely illegal, vice-ridden fight club which the notorious mafia-roots D family operated for the thousands of dollars it rolled in every _day_ and to which Luffy had introduced them all into eight months ago.

Zoro had been hesitant at first, unsure if he wanted to risk his life for a couple hundred a week. But the fight called to him. This was no cute wooden sword bonking like he did daily at the local _dojo_ run by the father of his old, now deceased childhood friend. This was no place where, after you had knocked your opponent to the floor, you held out a hand and said, 'you okay?' This was where you knocked your rival to the ground and broke their leg, if necessary, to keep them there.

The adrenaline rush was addictive, and Zoro realized that _here_ he could really ante up the level of his swordsmanship. Swordfighting had always interested him since he was a kid, especially the deadly, streamlined weapons of the Japanese _katana _(none of that stupid, flimsy _rapier_ shit for him), but it had been almost impossible to train with them. There weren't enough people who wanted to duel using real swords these days. And the ones who accepted usually were high.

But the Grand Line was a completely different world. It was even dirtier and darker than above ground Los Angeles, which was saying something in Zoro's humble opinion. It was all the difference between Earth and hell. Everything that was illegal, had been illegal, and eventually _would be _illegal went on in the Grand Line. The Devil himself probably crept up from his infernal lair to watch some of the more nastier brawls.

Hell, the horned demon probably bet on some himself.

~0~

Afterschool found him walking back home with the usual gang; luckily they lived relatively close to their high school and could have half an hour or so together to kickback before they got home and to whatever homework they found there. Only Sanji and Kaya were absent; the former saying that his Dad wanted him home early to help with the restaurant they owned and the latter excusing herself because she had a headache.

Luffy was busy explaining the rules of Grand Line to Kohza, who had expressed a keen interest in saddling up, saying something about wanting to send cash to his family in some Eastern European country which was trying to overthrow the local king. Zoro was listening with half and ear to that, and with the other half listening to Usopp and Chopper chitchat about the deeds of the great Usopp.

"—and there's three levels, A, B, and C. Sometimes they cross, but not often," Luffy said, walking along, his straw sandals hitting the ground with each thump, "And you can have a specialized fight, or a non-specialized fight."

"Specialized?" Kohza asked, raising an eyebrow.

Zoro broke in, "He means, you can fight with nothing but your body or you can fight with a certain weapon. Usually I specialize in swords, but sometimes I go plain."

Luffy nodded, "Most of us, except me, don't earn that much and aren't really well-known in the Grand Line, since, obviously, we're just high school students and so the onlookers don't really pay much mind. Zoro, Gin, and Sanji and a couple others are just some of the smaller fights that go on. They don't have set schedules either. "

Nami, who was walking along with her boyfriend, holding his hand, suddenly broke in, "Luffy, how come, you earn thousands a day, Ace wins even more, and your family is freaking rich, you're wearing an outfit which costs five bucks?" Her dark brown eyes suddenly fixated accusingly on Luffy's faded capris, beat up flip flops, and tattered red shirt.

Luffy shrugged, "I usually spend my money on food. Ace too."

"Yo, Nami," Zoro said, "You still talk to Tashigi?" He had been thinking of his dream, and about what Vivi had told him.

Nami snorted, "Hmph. I try not to. Every time I see her I want to kick her in the nuts. Shit, who does she think she is? Ms. All-high-and-mighty-my-vagina-doesn't-stink? I mean, really. She always brings you up when I'm around and tries to get me to admit that she was right in dumping you and trying to steal your nutsack."

"She tried to steal my sword Nami," Zoro remarked.

"Same thing," the redhead replied, rolling her eyes, "You take extreme care of them both. Whatever. I don't know. That black haired bitch just rubs me the wrong way with all her talk about _justice_."

He laughed, couldn't help it. Nami was just the complete opposite of Tashigi. Whereas his ex-girlfriend had been mortified that he competed in prize-fights, Luffy's girlfriend wore suggestive clothing to the midnight forays to the Grand Line and placed ridiculous amounts of money on her boyfriend's victory.

No wonder they were going out.

Nami laughed too, "Why? You better not be thinking about crawling back to that whiny little good girl."

He shook his head, "Nah. Vivi told me that she still was in love with me and it kind of ticked me off. And by the way, Kohza, happy first something."

"Hundred days, thanks," Kohza grunted and resumed his conversation with Luffy.

Zoro fell in step with Nami and the red-haired girl said, "Well, you shouldn't be feeling guilty no matter what. You did nothing wrong."

He shrugged, "I know. I just wish she was over me."

Nami grinned evilly, "For a fee, I can _make _her—"

"_No_." It was a well known fact that Nami Pinwheel could make _anyone_ eat their own shit. She also fought in the competitions. Women's competitions. Nami specialized with the pike-staff. And the fights were said to be ten times as dirty and vicious as the men's. Zoro, who had seen quite a few, had to agree.

She shrugged, tossing her curly orange-red hair back, "Well, you should go out with another girl so that she can get over it."

"Don't feel like it."

"How about the new girl? She's in my fifth and sixth period; and I have to admit, she's quite pretty and doesn't look anywhere in the same country as stupid," Nami asked.

"Robin Nico?" he asked, suddenly realizing that he hadn't thought about her or about her _offness_ which might or might not exist, in quite a while. "She's hot, yeah. But I know _nothing _about her. And anyway, Sanji already has her name tattooed on his dick."

"Oh, please," Nami rolled her eyes, "Sanji has _every _girl's named tattooed on his jewels. I believe mine is located on his left nut."

"No, but he _loves _this girl. And anyway, that's not the point. Even if Sanji didn't like her, I _still_ don't know anything about her. _And_ I think there's something definitely up with the chick."

"So there's _interest already_?" Nami asked slyly.

"What? No, not_ that_ kind of interest," Zoro said, ignoring the look, "_Different _interest. I just thought—she doesn't look like she's up to anything good, you know that feeling you get when someone's watching you? I get that feeling from her. Except she's not watching just me; she's watching _everyone_."

Nami gave him an odd look, "Have you been sampling some of Kamakiri's Indian herbs Zoro?"

"Ah, forget it."

Zoro stuck his hands in his pockets and wandered off to where Chopper and Usopp were still going on about Usopp's exploits.

_That's the last time I mention Robin Nico to anyone._

~0~

"_Thank you for standing up for me," _Robin had said, smiling, "_That was very chivalrous of you."_

Sanji tried not to whirl around in a tornado. Instead, he nodded coolly and said, "_Well, I just wanted to show you that not everyone in America is like her. However, you'll have to forgive Kalifa, she was just struck by your rather…incomprehensible beauty."_

"_You're quite handsome yourself," Robin murmured, and fluttered her eyelashes._

_Sanji reached out and traced a light hand and stroked her cheek gently, "But compared to you—"_

_Robin sighed at his touch and, drooping her eyelids said, "Baby, let's fuck."_

"GUH!" Sanji said, pinching his nose to keep the blood in, while replaying the morning's conversation through his head. Though in reality, the conversation had ended at the second line of the fantasized dialogue. Robin Nico had no more said "Baby, let's fuck" then she had said, "Baby, I have three nipples."

_Whoa, not going to go there._

Anyway, he truly believed he had found _the one. _The One woman in the world which he would do anything for. The One for who he would put down his life of promiscuity and mega-pack of Trojans in order to settle down at last.

He smiled sappily as his hands automatically flipped and kneaded the dough in the Baratie's kitchen.

He was in love, damn it.

~0~

_**To be Continued. You lyke?**_


End file.
